VIB’s core mission is to generate disruptive insights in the molecular underpinning of life and to translate these actively into impactful innovations for patients and society. VIB is an independent research institute where some 1,800 top scientists from Belgium and abroad conduct pioneering basic research. As such, they are pushing the boundaries of what we know about molecular mechanisms and how they rule living organisms such as human beings, animals, plants, and microorganisms. Based on a close partnership with five Flemish universities – Ghent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Hasselt University – and supported by a solid funding program, VIB unites the expertise of all its collaborators and research groups in a single institute. VIB’s technology transfer activities translate research results into concrete benefits for society such as new diagnostics and therapies and agricultural innovations. These applications are often developed by young start-ups from VIB or through collaborations with other companies. This also leads to additional employment and bridges the gap between scientific research and entrepreneurship. VIB also engages actively in the public debate on biotechnology by developing and disseminating a wide range of science-based information. More info can be found on www.vib.be.

VIB’s core mission is to generate disruptive insights in the molecular underpinning of life and to translate these actively into impactful...

The science behind our bodies' defense lines

Het is de kerntaak van VIB om baanbrekende inzichten te genereren in de moleculaire onderbouwing van het leven en deze actief te vertalen naar impactvolle innovaties voor patiënten en de maatschappij. VIB is een onafhankelijk onderzoeksinstituut waar zo'n 1.800 topwetenschappers uit binnen- en buitenland baanbrekend fundamenteel onderzoek verrichten. In die hoedanigheid verleggen ze de grenzen van wat we weten over moleculaire mechanismen en hoe die levende organismen zoals mensen, dieren, planten en micro-organismen beheersen. Op basis van een nauw partnerschap met vijf Vlaamse universiteiten - Universiteit Gent, KU Leuven, Universiteit Antwerpen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel en Universiteit Hasselt - en ondersteund door een sterk financieringsprogramma, verenigt VIB de expertise van al haar medewerkers en onderzoeksgroepen in één enkel instituut. Via technologietransfer  vertaalt VIB onderzoeksresultaten naar concrete toepassingen voor de maatschappij, zoals nieuwe diagnostica, geneesmiddelen en innovaties in de landbouw. Deze toepassingen worden vaak ontwikkeld door jonge startups van VIB of door samenwerkingen met andere bedrijven. Dit leidt ook tot extra werkgelegenheid en overbrugt de kloof tussen wetenschappelijk onderzoek en ondernemerschap. VIB neemt ook actief deel aan het publieke debat over biotechnologie door een brede waaier van wetenschappelijk onderbouwde informatie te ontwikkelen en te verspreiden. Meer info op www.vib.be.

Het is de kerntaak van VIB om baanbrekende inzichten te genereren in de moleculaire onderbouwing van het leven en deze actief te vertalen naar...

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VIB researchers show how dendritic cells mature without causing an immune response

Researchers reveal a crucial process in the working of the immune system

Ghent, 15 May – For our immune system to initiate a response to an infection, cells called dendritic cells have to present antigens to T cells. This shows the T cells where to focus their efforts and helps clear the infection. In normal conditions, however, dendritic cells shouldn't activate the immune system or else autoimmune conditions arise. New work by the teams of profs. Yvan Saeys, Kodi Ravichandran, Bart Lambrecht, and Sophie Janssens (VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research) reveals how dendritic cells mature without causing an immune response. Their work appears in Science Immunology and has ramifications for the treatment of various autoimmune disorders.

Research reveals how leptin and its receptor work together to regulate hunger signals

Decoding the satiety signal

The protein hormone leptin signals our brains that we are full and can stop eating. To send that signal, leptin has to bind to a receptor on the cells that need to receive the message. Researchers at the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, collaborating with colleagues at Osnabruck University (Germany) and the Belgian biotechnology company PUXANO, have now revealed how leptin and its receptor work together. Their arresting research results appear in the leading scientific journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology and may spark new approaches in treating obesity, a major metabolic condition worldwide.

Too much salt can disrupt the energy metabolism in regulatory immune cells

Excess salt cuts energy supply of immune regulators

Eating too much salt is not only bad for our blood pressure and cardiovascular system. It could also impact the immune system. An international research team, coordinated by scientists at VIB and Hasselt University (Belgium), as well as the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin (Germany), now reports in Cell Metabolism that salt can disturb important immune regulators called regulatory T cells by upsetting their energy metabolism. The findings may provide new avenues to explore the development of autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases.

The protein ATG9A blocks the cell-killing signal of tumor necrosis factor and prevents unwanted cell death

Scientists discover a new brake on cell death

Many inflammatory diseases develop when the body goes overboard and kills too many healthy cells. The group of Prof. Mathieu JM Bertrand (VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research), in collaboration with the team of Prof. Geert van Loo (VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research) and colleagues from the University of Regensburg and Juntendo University, has identified a new mechanism, mediated by the autophagy protein ATG9A, that blocks this excessive cell death. Their work appears in Science.

Mutations in a key gene that was thought to be 'junk' DNA  are linked to the risk of encephalitis after HSV-1 infection.

Protecting ourselves from herpes: when trash becomes treasure

Infections with Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) are very common and usually cause only minor symptoms. In rare cases, the HSV-1 infection goes awry and turns into herpes simplex encephalitis, a devastating brain disease that is lethal if left untreated. In a large, collaborative effort, researchers from the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent University, Ghent University Hospital, and the Cleveland Clinic Florida Research and Innovation Center identify mutations in a key gene that predisposes to encephalitis after HSV-1 infection. Their work appeared in Science Immunology.

Training our immune system to recognize and attack tumors – immunotherapy – holds great promise for cancer therapy. New research by scientists from VIB, VUB, UGent, KU Leuven, and international partner Roche now shows why some patients don’t respond to immunotherapy. By clarifying the role of different cell types involved in the immune system’s response, this work by the team of Prof. Damya Laoui is an important step toward personalized treatment for cancer patients and is published in Cancer Research.

Refining immunotherapy: a story of different cell types

The many cells of our immune system constantly patrol our body to take care of intruders, but sometimes the danger comes from within. This is what happens in cancer. Our body’s own cells revolt and form tumors. One of the tricks these cells and tumors use is hiding from the immune system.

Immunity & Inflammation